This invention relates generally to an improved fold away seat for use in and clearing a preexisting obstruction in a vehicle such as a wheel well in order to provide a space for a wheelchair or for storage of various articles. The invention preferably includes a cantilevered seatbase which employs a path generating linkage system to lift and rotate it substantially about one end from a horizontally deployed position to a substantially vertical stowed position where a diagonal truss supports the seatbase when in the horizontally deployed position to a substantially vertical stowed position where a diagonal truss supports the seatbase when in the horizontally deployed position. The seatbase is provided with a seatback which has a lockable unfolded position as well as a lockable folded position flat against the seatbase. The fold away seat is stowed by folding the seatback substantially flat against the seatbase, unlocking the seatbase from its horizontally deployed position by actuating a releasable handle operatively connected to a releasable pin means thereby releasing the pin from a positioning hole in the seatbase. The seatbase is then rotated through a path generated arc by the path generating linkage system where the pin slides on the surface of riding plate means until the seatbase is put into its substantially vertical stowed position where the pin falls into a second positioning hole on the seatbase thereby releasably locking the seatbase. Extra aisle space is provided as the frame can be mounted on the floor right next to a preexisting obstruction because the path generating linkage system provides the seatbase with a path generated arc motion allowing clearance over a preexisting obstruction.
Previously, the seats known that were stowable and cantilevered were like the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,389. This type of configuration eliminated an aisle leg fastened to the floor as shown in Strausbaugh et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,141 issued on Feb. 6, 1996. However, clearing obstructions such as wheel wells created other problems when utilizing the McClintock and Moffa invention.